Pony tail holders



1961 c. D. GRESHAM ETAL 2,998,015

PONY TAIL HOLDERS Filed July 24, 1958 INVENTORS CLAUDE D. GRESHAM ERNE ST HOFFMANN M ZQVi/MM.

ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent 2,998,015 PONY TAIL HOLDERS Claude D. Gresham and Ernest Holfmann, Omaha, Nehru, assignors to Tip-Top Products Company, Omaha, Nebr., a corporation of Nebraska Filed July 24, 1958, Ser. No. 750,635 1 Claim. (Cl.13248) The present invention relates to hair fasteners and more particularly to a new and improved barrette.

An important object is to provide a simple, efiicient, economical barrette or hair holder with means for tightly gripping a braid of hair so as to prevent longitudinal displacement thereof, and means for providing a positive lock which remains closed until forceably opened.

A further object consists in providing a barrette having a horizontal lower member or base provided with spaced parallel sides and transversely disposed ends. Each of the sides of the lower member has extending upwardly therefrom a row of comb teeth preferably of progressively increasing length from their opposite ends to the center thereof. A resilient curved or arcuate upper member has one end thereof hinged to one of the transverse ends of the lower member and its opposite end curved downwardly and then upwardly so as normally to extend beyond the adjacent transverse end of the lower member and thus provide a yieldable catch of less width than the space between the parallel sides of the lower member so that upon the application of inward pressure against the catch, to cause the same to drop down between the parallel sides of the lower member, and upon release of the inward pressure, to spring outwardly and engage the underside of the adjacent transverse end of the lower member and thus provide a positive lock. The inner concave surface of the upper member has extending downwardly therefrom a row of comb teeth which, when the upper member is moved to its closed position, extend between the rows of teeth on the lower member, so as to co-act therewith to provide means for preventing accidental displacement of the barrette when connected to a braid of hair, and which also serve to maintain the hair in a fixed position until the resilient upper curved member is released from locking engage ment with the lower member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claim and drawmgs.

Referring to the drawing, in which is shown a preferred embodiment the invention may assume,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a barrette constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the parts in their closed position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the resilient upper member in full lines released from engagement with the lower member, and in dotted lines, its position when inward pressure is applied thereto so that the same may be moved releasably to engage the underside of the lower member;

RIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the barrette applied to a braid of hair of a wearer so as to form a pony tail or the like.

Referring to the drawing, indicates a barrette which may be made of any suitable material, such as celluloid, plastic, or the like, and preferably includes a horizontal base .or lower member 11 having spaced parallel sides 12 connected by transverse ends 13, thus defining a framelike construction having an open central portion. As shown, the base 11 is of substantially rectangular shape but manifestly may be of any suitable configuration and size. as desired. Each of the parallel sides 12 has a row of comb teeth 14 which preferably progressively taper upwardly from opposite ends towards the center. As can be seen, the lower member 11 is symmetrical about both principal axes.

An upper resilient member 15 preferably of curved or concave shape and formed of the same material as the lower member 11, may have an intermediate relatively wide portion 16 and depending reduced yieldable end portions or arms 17 and 18, each of which is of such a width as to extend into the space formed between the parallel sides 12. One of these end portions, such as 17, is curved downwardly, upwardly and inwardly, as at 19, so as to embrace the adjacent transverse end 13 of the lower member in order to provide a pivotal connection therewith, as at 20. The opposite resilient end 18 of the upper member 15 is bent downwardly and outwardly, as at 21, and then upwardly, as at 22, to form a catch or hook 23 for releasably engaging the underside of the ad jacent transverse end member 13. Normally, the hooked end 23 of the upper member 15 extends outwardly beyond the adjacent transverse end 13 of the lower member (FIG. 2), so that upon the application of inward pressure being applied to the end portion 18 in the direction of the arrow 24 (FIG. 2), it will cause this end to be moved to the dotted line position 25, as indicated in FIG. 2, and upon being moved downwardly between the sides 12 of the lower member, and the inward manual pressure being released, the catch 23 will spring outwardly and engage the underside of the adjacent transverse end 13 of the lower member 11 (FIG. 1).

The concave inner surface of the upper member 15 has secured thereto a row of depending comb teeth 26 which, when the lower member 11 and the upper member 15 are in their closed or locked position, extend substantially centrally and downwardly in spaced relation to and above the space rows 14 in order to co act therewith to engage a braid of hair 27 (FIG. 4) and provide a tight and firm grip, so as to prevent accidental displacement of the barrette 10. Thus, a light, durable and attractive barrette is provided which can be easily applied to the hair, or released therefrom, at a minimum expenditure of time and effort. Additionally, the barrette is formed of a minimum number of parts which are inexpensive to make and yet are capable of meeting the exacting demands of a device of this character. The base or lower portion 11 is preferably formed of one piece, as is also the yieldable upper member 15.

In operation, assuming that the parts of the barrette are in their open position, as shown in FIG. 2, and it is desired to form a braid of hair 27 into a pony tail, or the like, the barrette 10 is positioned so that the lower member or base 11 engages the underside of the hair braid 27. The upper curved member 15 is then swung from its fully open position so as to overlap the upper portion of the braid 27 and, upon the application of inward pressure to the resilient end 18, this end is pressed downwardly through the opening or space between the side members 12 and upon release of this inward pressure, the catch 23 is sprung upwardly and outwardly so as to engage the underside of the adjacent transverse end 13 of the lower member (FIG. 4) and thus firmly maintain the barrette in a fixed position in order to form the pony tail 27. Conversely, upon application of inward pressure on the end portion 18 of the upper member 15, the latter may be swung upwardly between the parallel side 23 and about the hinge 20 so as to release engagement of the teeth 14 and 26 of the barrette from the hair. Thus, the teeth 14 and 26 co-act to insure a tight and firm engagement of the barrette with the hair, while the locking connection of the yieldable catch 23 with the base 11 provides a positive fastening means that will remain in its locked or closed position until manually released therefrom,

It will'be understood that the form of the invention shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as come within the purview of the appended claim.

We claim:

Barrette means for fastening hair, comprising: a, relatively rigid lower member having parallel side members and parallel end members defining a frame-likeconstruc- Lion having an open central portion, said lower member being symmetrical about both principal axes; aro-wof comb teeth disposed on'each of said parallel side members,'said teeth in each of said rows-progressively increas ing in length from each end of each row towards the center thereof; a relatively resilient upper member-having .a central portion of greater width than said low'ermember and depending opposed end portions; outwardly extending a means formed atone of'said depen'ding end portions-for .pivotally receiving one of said parallel end members;

outwardly extending catch means formed at the other of said depending end portions for releasably engaging the other of said parallel end members; and a plurality of comb teeth disposed on' an'd depending from said upper member.

ReEeIenceS GitHin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 717,499 Gouy Dec. 30, 1902 1,225,831 Legere May 15, 1911 434,895 Heussner Nov. 7, 1922 2,242,074 Til-'Iupp'e'rt -Q'May 13, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 121 ,21; Switzerland June 16, 1927 

